New Cooling Technology Could Be Used in Tomorrow's Laptops and Tablets

General Electric has patented a new, small, ultra light weight cooling solution that could have applications in tomorrow's laptops and tablets. The solution uses no fans but instead relies on a technology that General Electric calls 'Dual Piezoelectric Cooling Jets' (or DCJ) which is based on a technology originally developed for cooling aircraft engines. The Piezoelectric Jets act in a similar way to bellows by using turbulent air to increase the heat transferred away from hot components. The technology would enable cooling solutions as small as 4mm tall, and is also very efficient, consuming less than half the energy of a fan with the same cooling potential.

This technology, if applied, could not only reduce the size of future devices, but could also increase battery life through its reduced power consumption. The technology is also completely silent. General Electric has recently licensed the technology to Japanese telecommunications and electronics corporation Fujikura, which is currently evaluating the technology for use in their next generation devices.